1. Field
The disclosure relates to the manufacture of vehicle pneumatic tires and in particular to the handling of the tires.
2. Description of Related Art
The manufacture of a pneumatic tire requires the creation of a tire comprising raw rubber and reinforcing elements. The raw rubber is soft and behaves plastically so that the tire has a tendency to collapse under its own weight. In order to store it and to transport it between the manufacturing workstations, it is therefore necessary for it to be supported by a suitable device. What is sometimes referred to as a “tulip” can be used to do this. The tulip comprises arms that are able to support the upper bead of the tire when the tire has its main axis vertical. The dimensional characteristics of the tire are thus preserved, notably while the tire is being transported from the workstation at which it is built to the curing press for vulcanizing the rubber and obtaining the pneumatic tire casing. However, separating the tire from the tulip is a tricky operation because it has to be performed without the arms knocking the tire, given that the rubber is still particularly fragile at this stage.